Liquid Discharge Apparatus Heat Isolation via Segmented Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid discharge apparatuses face issues with heat transmission from the drive substrate to the discharge unit, leading to nozzle clogging and reduced discharge stability, and signal transmission loss due to long distances between components.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus separates the discharge unit and drive substrate into distinct accommodating units, connected by connector terminals and flexible flat cables, preventing direct heat transfer and minimizing signal transmission distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the drive substrate is provided in the vicinity of the discharge unit, then the device structure is compact, but heat from the drive substrate is transmitted to the discharge unit causing nozzle clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the housing into a drive substrate accommodating unit and a discharge unit accommodating unit, physically separating the heat-generating drive substrate from the temperature-sensitive discharge unit. This segmentation allows compact overall structure while preventing harmful heat transmission between components.
2Power
If the drive substrate is heated during operation, then driving function is achieved, but adverse effects such as nozzle clogging occur due to increased temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat-generating drive substrate from the vicinity of the discharge unit by providing separate accommodating units. This removes the harmful thermal effect from the discharge unit environment while preserving the drive substrate's heating function necessary for its operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary medium between the drive substrate and discharge unit. The air gap acts as a thermal insulator, allowing the drive substrate to be heated during operation while preventing this heat from being transmitted to the discharge unit, thus avoiding nozzle clogging.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the transmission distance of signals between discharge unit and drive substrate is long, then component layout flexibility is increased, but signal transmission loss is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces connector terminals as intermediaries that enable direct electrical connection between the drive substrate and discharge unit through the housing wall. This eliminates the need for long transmission cables, maintaining signal integrity while still allowing flexible component layout through the separated accommodating units.
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge unit that discharges liquid; a discharge unit accommodating unit that accommodates the discharge unit; a drive substrate that drives the discharge unit; and a drive substrate accommodating unit that is provided separately from the discharge unit accommodating unit, and accommodates the drive substrate. With the liquid discharge apparatus of such a configuration, it is possible to suppress transmission of heat of the drive substrate to the discharge unit.